Staff Reports
The Department of Health wants to put an end to the government’s endless spending on opioid-related programs that just don’t seem to be working. Acting Secretary Debra Bogen is sick and tired of seeing taxpayer money go down the drain with no real results to show for it. During a recent Senate budget hearing, she made it clear that the opioid crisis is tearing families apart and destroying communities. It’s time to stop throwing money at the problem and start focusing on effective solutions.
The Department of Health is fed up with seeing innocent children suffer because of their parents’ opioid addiction. In Allegheny County alone, over 1,000 kids have had a parent die from a drug overdose, and a quarter of them were just 5 years old or younger. Democratic Senator Judy Schwank from Reading highlighted this devastating reality and urged the other 66 counties in Pennsylvania to wake up and address this issue.
With more than 5,000 Pennsylvanians dying from drug overdoses every year, it’s clear that the current approach isn’t working. Acting Secretary Bogen emphasized the need for early intervention services to help families struggling with opioid addiction. The Department of Health is committed to figuring out what actually works and what doesn’t, so they can finally make some progress in this fight.
Opioids an 'overwhelming issue for families' in Pennsylvania (The Center Square) — To guide opioid-related spending in the future, the Department of Health wants to figure out which programs are doing the best. “The opioid crisis has been an overwhelmin…https://t.co/AblydvmFzu
— The Black Chronicle (@BlackChron) March 8, 2024
The Department of Health is also taking a close look at a pilot program to relieve medical debt, which they believe could be a game-changer for struggling Pennsylvanians. With 1 million residents drowning in a whopping $1.8 billion of medical debt, the Department is ready to step in and help. By buying up this debt for next to nothing and then forgiving it, they hope to give these folks a fresh start and a chance to take control of their financial future.
Acting Secretary Bogen sees this as a win-win situation. Not only would the Department be helping struggling families, but they’d also be injecting new life into the economy. After all, it’s pretty tough to get a loan when you’re buried under a mountain of medical debt. With this program, the Department is looking to provide real relief for hardworking Pennsylvanians who just need a helping hand. This is the kind of innovative thinking and practical solutions that the Department of Health is proud to be pursuing.
